Coin sorting and dispensing device



June 11, 1968 H. E. BORTZ ETAL 3,387,616

COIN SORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 5iNVENTORfi b drayf.fiorzig By J2me! I 770mm? W W O/FA/Ziff.

June 11, 1968 BORTZ E 3,387,616

COIN SORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE June 11, 1968 H. E. BORTZ ETAL3,387,616

COIN SOR'I'ING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet5 June 11, 1968 H, E, BORTZ ETAL 3,387,616

COIN SORTING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed April 10, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 6BY 'ZH0177J0)! Tr in/I75.

u 11, 1958, H. EQBORTZxETAL 3 6 .v

, con: SORTINGjAND DISPENSING DEVICE:

Filed April .10; 1967 I 1 7 Shets-Sht 7 arram zxi By came! I 702750,

United States Patent 3,387,616 CSIN SGRTWG AND DISPENSING DEVICEI-Iaroid E. Bortz, Englewood, N..I., and James E. Thomson, Munith, Mich,assignors to Western Stamping Corporation, Jackson, Mich, a corporationof Michigan Fiied Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,762 11 Ciaims. (Cl. 1333)ABSTRAQT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A toy bank having a lockable coin releasemechanism is incorporated in a casing construction having threeprincipal parts, a base of hollow construction contains a coindispensing apparatus, a flipper for tossing coins upwardly into visiblerampways, and an open cup for discharged coins. The base supports anupstanding relatively fiat structure formed of the other two casingparts. The two upper sections define a series of compartments withinwhich coins of different denominations are stacked and also definerampways and coin sorting means through which coins travel visibly as ina bagatelle game. The coins are diverted into their proper compartmentsto stack in accordance with denomination by stationary cams molded onthe back wall and which selectively tilt rolling coins of predetermineddiameters forwardly toward their compartments, the forward rolling ofeach tilted coin being arrested by the farther sidewall of itscompartment. The coin releasing means is operated by key levers on thefront of the machine for selectively releasing the coins into a coindischarge pocket. The key levers can be locked against operation toprevent removal of the contents. All parts are assemblable by pushingthem into positions in which they interlock and are held againstseparation and misalignment by inherent contouring. I

Brief summazy of the invention Numerous types of toy banks, amusementdevices and games for impelling rollable articles through mazes and thelike have been developed in the past, and devices of variousconstructions for sorting, stacking and dispensing coins have also beendeveloped. The present application differs both in its specificconstruction, which achieves extreme simplification with relation to thenumerous functions performed, and in the overall combination of means.

The invention is particularly directed to an improved toy bankincorporating operative features of an amusing character, which alsoachieves utilitarian advantages, and which is inexpensive tomanufacture. More specific objects are to provide a device of theindicated character having a relatively large coin capacity, wherein thecoins on deposit are segregated, but wherein the amount on deposit isvisible at all times, a unique sorting means being provided forsegregating the coins, as well as an entertaining method of insertingthe coins, and dispensing means for individually releasing coins ofselected denominations, as well as means for locking the dispensingmeans to secure the contents against unwanted removal.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparentupon consideration of the present disclosure in its entirety.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of my preferred bank construction,partially broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the assembly;

FIGURES 3 to 9 inclusive, are sectional w'ews taken, respectively,substantially as indicated by lines and arrows on FIGURE 1 which aredesignated by corresponding Roman numerals;

3,3816% Patented June 11, 1968 FIGURE 10 is a bottom plan view;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicatedby the line and arrows XI--XI of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 12 is a horizontal sectional plan view of the rear upper sectionof the casing only, taken substantially at the position indicated by theline XII- X11 of FIG- URE 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of the base from above the right frontcorner;

FIGURE 14 is a somewhat diagrammatic vertical sectional view of thethree casing sections illustrating the method of assembly thereof;

FIGURE 15 is a plan view of the ejector slides showing the same prior toassembly and attached to their sprues;

FIGURE 16 is a perspective view of the upper front casing section withthe member forming the coin chute partition and front trough sectioninstalled therein, removed from the other parts and viewed from theinterior;

FIGURE 17 is a sectional detail on the same plane as FIGURE 4 showing aportion of one of the coin release mechanism on a larger scale;

FIGURE 18 is a view similar to FIGURE 17 but showing the mechanism in adifferent operative position;

FIGURE 19 is a sectional detail on the line XIX-XIX of FIGURE 4 andlooking in the direction of the arrows, and

FIGURE 20 is a sectional detail on the line XX-XX of FIGURE 15 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, the supporting base generally designated15 is preferably formed as a single molded part which may be of asuitable plastic. The base is of thin-walled hollow form defining anenclosure resembling an inverted box having a flat top portion 16 and astepped front wall. The upper portion of the front wall curvesrearwardly and blends into the generally fiat portion 16, being socurved and ribbed as to provide individual guiding seats 21 for coindispensing keys 20 having conformably curved bottom portions whichslidably fit thereupon. Seats 21 for finger pieces 20 are formed in aplurality of sections which are progressively stepped rearwardly withrelation to each other toward the left, as brought out in FIGURES 7 and12. The functioning and arrangement of the foregoing and other parts ofthe coin release means will be described more particularly hereinatfer.

The horizontal upper portion 16 of the base is provided with arectangular silghtly depressed and substantially fiat seat area 22,joined to the top portion by substantially vertical shoulder walls 23.The rear longitudinally extending shoulder wall portion 23 is pierced bythree horizontal slots 25.

The depressed seat section 22 supports an upward extension of the casingstructure formed in two relatively flat sections which also may befonmed of molded plastic, comprising a rear section generally designated28 and a front section 36. The rear section 28 is preferably opaque,while the front section 30 is transparent. The sections 28, 30 may, asin base section 15, be so molded as to provide walls of substantiallyuniform thickness, and sections 28, Silinterfit at the sides and top todefine a relatively flat transverse enclosure which is only open at thebottom, where it communicates with the base in selected areas.

At the right side, as the parts are viewed from the front, casingsections 28, 30 define a vertical coin entry and riser chute portion 32,into which a coin may be dropped via an entrance slot 33. The chuteguides a deposited coin to rest vertically on edge upon the top surfaceof a ram piece 35, actnatable by a fingerpiece 102 in the base in suchmanner as to toss the coin upwardly and impel it through an upwardextension 34 of the coin chute, and a eftward continuation 37 thereof,into which continuation the coin is guided by an arcuate top guide wall38. The continuation portion guides the coin laterally and rearwardly ina vertical plane, blending into the portion of the front wall to theleft of and below continuation portion 37 and above the coincompartments 45-49. Such portion of the front wall is designated 31.From continuation 37 the coin drops onto an inclined ramp 40 whichdescends toward the right beneath and to the rear of extension 37. Thecoin then rolls off the right end 42 of ramp 40 and drops downwardly ina drop chute area 34', behind front chute section 34, and which isseparated therefrom by a partition portion 54, onto a second inclinedrarnpway defined by a trough generally designated 44 of V-section andwhich descends toward the left at a lower elevation and passessuccessively through and at the upper rear of five coin stackcompartments 45, 46, 47, 43 and 49. Compartments 45-49 are proportionedto hold coins of graduatedly decreasing diameter as, for example, halfdollers, quarters, nickels, pennies and dimes.

One half of the trough 44 is defined by a sloping rear wall portion 51integral with back casing section 28, and the other half by a fronttrough section 52 integral with coin chute partition portion 54.Partition portion 54 extends upwardly in the area of, and defines therear wall of, the upper portion 34 of the coin chute through whichflipped coins rise. The trough 44 defined by portions 51, 52 extends thefull width of the casing, projecting behind the coin riser chute portion34 as well as behind the compartments 45-49. Partition portion 54extends upwardly from the top of the front trough section in the coinchute area and lies in the same plane as front wall portion 31 andprevents coins from dropping into the trough portion 44 until they havepassed to the left of the inclined top edge 53 of the partition. Themember comprising the integral trough section 52 and partition 54 isgenerally designated 55 and best shown in FIGURES 3, 4, 9 and 16. Theinclined upper edge 53 of member 55 extends angularly up wardly and tothe right, as viewed from the front, approximately to the corner, asshown in FIGURE 1, and is positioned by a rearwardly turned flangeportion 57 integral with the upper extremity of partition portion 54 andwhich extends towards the rear and bears against the inner wall of rearsection 28. Near the lower end of the inclined top edge 53 the dividerpartition portion 54 is provided with a flat tongue portion 58 whichprojects through a slot (undesignated) in the forwardly projecting wall56 which forms the lower surface of the lateral coin guide portion 37.

The trough section 52 of member 55 is confined between conformablycutout portions of the rear edges of the partitioning walls 61, 62, ea,64 and 65 of the compartments 45-49 and the inner wall of rear section28. Vertical alignment of trough section 52 is effected by shoulderportions 66, 67 defining the tops and bottoms of the cutout areas of therear edges of the partitioning walls 61-65.

The rear and front upper casing portions 28, 30 are so secured to thebase 15 as well as to each other as to accurately maintain theirrelative positioning with respect to each other and the other componentsand resist distortion or misalignment during the life of the device. Theparts are fastened together without the use of special fasteners, cementor heat sealing. Along each vertical side edge of the rear casingsection 28 in the area below the trough section 51, the rear wall ofsection 28 is indented selectively to define not only the wall of thetrough but also the rear walls of the coin chute 32, coin compartments45, 49, etc., as shown in FIGURE 12, but such vertical side edgeportions are not indented, and define vertical slots 71, 72 at the rightand left edges respectively for reception of the rearwardly directededges of the side walls 68, 69 of front section 30. Forwardly facingvertical positioning slots are also provided by sloping buttress wallportions 73, 74 molded on the back wall and positioned to 4 overlie thepartitioning walls 62-65 at the bottom. The top wall 76 of the frontsection, and the portions of the side walls 68, 69 which extend upwardlyabove the trough 44, telescope into and fit snugly within the forwardlyprojecting top wall portion and the corresponding side wall portions 78,79 of the rear section 28.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the upper wall 76 of the front section isprovided with three upwardly projecting tongue portions 81 along itsrear edge which project into conformably proportioned and positionedslots 83 in the top wall 75. When the parts are fully interfitted,downwardly directed shoulder portions 82 on the rear edges of the sidewall 69, 68 overlie projections 84 integral with the back wall andlocated in the bottoms of the slotted portions 71, 72. The spacingbetween the top wall '76 and the shoulders 82 on the front section 35 issuch as to fit accurately between the top flange wall 75 and projections84 on rear section 28, so that when the parts are fully interfitted, thefront and back sections 38, 28 are accurately held against relativesliding movement or displacement in any direction with respect to eachother.

Along the front portion of the depressed area 2.2 of the upper surfaceof the base 15, three vertical slots 86, 37, 88 are provided extendingin a fore and aft direction and proportioned to receive forwardlydirected depending hook portions 90, 5 1, 92 which are, respectively,integral with left end wall 6@, right end wall 68 and partitioning wall63. When the parts are assembled, the hook portions -92 projectforwardly beneath the base from the areas of slots 86, 87, 88 to holddown the upper front section 30, while the tongues 24 project throughslots 25 in the shoulder wall 23 along the rear of the depressed seatsection 22 of the base 15.

The method of assembling parts 23 and 36 to base 15 is indicated inFIGURE 14. As shown in the latter view, the tongues 24 of rear section28 extend rcarwardly front the flat bottom near flange 2? of section 28.These tongues are pushed throngs slots 25, and hooks t)-92 of section 39are pushed through their respective slots 36-88 and underengaged withthe base, While the selections 28-39 are spread apart at the top topermit such insertion of the tongues 25 and hooks 90-92. The sections28-30 are then forced together. When so forced together, the upperflange walls 75-76 are sprung sutficiently to permit the tongues 81 tosnap into the slots 83 in the top wall 75 without distorting the partsbeyond their elastic limit, the shoulders 32 at the same time movinginto overengaged relation with the projections 84. The tongues 81 thuslock the upper portrons together and cooperate with the tongues 25,hooks 99-92 and portions 82-84 to rigidly secure the three casmgsectionstogether.

The ram element 35 is biased upwardly by a compression spring 95 trappedbeneath an ac uating lever 96 pivoted in and near the back wall of thebase and projecting forwardly through a vertical slot 98 in wall portion9? which constitutes the front wall of the coin chute and flippersection at the right end of the base and which also constitutes the rearwall of an integral open-topped pocket 100 formed in the base and intowhich released coins are discharged. The flipper lever 95 carries at itsforward end in an accessible position above the coin pocket an integralfinger portion 192. At its lower end the ram 35 straddles andover-engages the lever 96, the lever arm being of T-section and the ramhaving a conforming T-slot for interengagement therewith loosely enoughto permit pivotal or sliding movement to the necessary extent. Thefulcrum bearing of the lever is formed by a pair of laterally extendingcoaxial cylindrical projections 204 on the sides of the lever at therear and which are rockably fitted in downwardly opening slot in a pairof suitably spaced integral tongues 196 formed in and integral with thebase 15. The spring 95 bears upwardly against an intermediate portion ofthe lever and is trapped between an upwardly extending locating boss 108formed in a spring pocket portion 116, which is also formed integrallywith the base, and a locating boss 111 projecting down wardly from thelever.

It will be seen that when the lever 96 is pressed downwardly by means ofthe finger piece 102, and then released for upward actuation by thespring 95, a coin on the ram will be tossed upwardly under the force ofthe spring, and then deflected laterally by the wall 38 through lateralguide portion 37 and roll successively down the ramp 4t) and trough 44.As indicated previously, the rear wall portion 51 of trough 44 isintegral with the back wall of casing section 28, which prevents thecoins from falling rearwardly, while the front section 52 is relativelylow vertically, but high enough to tend to retain the coins in theirupright rolling attitude unless the coin is tipped forwardly far enoughto overbalance itself and fall forwardly into a compartment. The heightof the front guiding wall portion 52 of the trough should be less thanthe radius of the coin, for each area, and the slope of the trough incross section is such that when its center of gravity is thus displacedforwardly, it is free to fall over the top of trough wall portion 5.2.

Formed integrally with the back wall and located spacedly above andparallel to the trough 44, are a series of coin deflecting cams 115,116, 117 and 118 and 119, one of which is located at the rear of eachcompartment and projecting forwardly thereinto. Each of the cams 115-118 is spaced high enough above the trough to clear and allow to passtherebeneath the coins of all smaller sizes, but to engage and tipoutwardly and into its compartment a coin of the size for which itscompartment is designed. As shown in FIGURES 1, 4 and 6, a coin 120 ofthe denomination (e.g.: twenty-five cent piece) for the compartment 56will roll freely beneath cam 115 (half dollar cam) but will engage andbe tipped outwardly by cam 116. When so tipped outwardly, the coin willalso strike the wall 63 and thus be positively arrested against rollingfurther down the trough 44. Thereafter the portion of its inertia whichhas been converted into momentum in a forward direction causes the cointo fall forwardly over the top of trough section 52 and into itscompartment. Each of the cams is correspondingly positioned andproportioned with respect to its intended coin.

Spacedly above each of the cams 116-119, a guard wall 122 is provided,lying parallel to the cam at a height sulficient to clear the intendedcoin and extending inwardly far enough to resist efforts to remove coinsfrom the bank by inverting it and attempting to cause the coins toresume their position in the trough so that by manipulating the bankthey might be caused to roll backwardly and out of the bank.

A deposit slot 225 is provided extending through the overlapping topwalls 75, 76 above ramp 46 to permit insertion of coins without usingthe flipping mechanism when desired.

The coins which drop into each compartment rest upon an ejector slide125', 126, 127, 128 or 129 which, in its normal retaining position,prevents the coins from escaping from the bottom of the compartment.Each of the slides 1.254% is in direct slidable overlying relation tothe base at the bottom of one of the compartments.

Extending transversely in the base behind all of the compartments andsloping downwardly toward the right is an integral coin discharge troughgenerally designated 13%) formed as a depression in the base and whichat its right end curves forwardly and opens into the coin pocket 100 inthe area between the wall 61 and the coin flipper mechanism. The sidewalls of the discharge trough are close enough near the bottom tomaintain coins in rolling position, and diverge upwardly with smoothcontours. In alignment in a fore and aft direction with each of thecompartments 4 5, 49, but spaced rearwardly thereof, a circular coinreceiving enlargement is provided in the trough contour and which islarge enough to freely admit the intended coin and guide it to anupright rolling position in the trough. Such coin-admitting enlargementsof the discharge trough, designated 131-135 inclusive, are offset towardthe rear but overlap their respective coin compartments 4549 to anextent such that a cord projected across the area of greatest overlapexceeds the diameter of the coin, so that the latter will fall into thetrough when the slide is retracted (by movement toward the front).

Each slide -129 is normally urged to a rearward overlapping position inwhich it partially blocks its enlarge ment 131-135 to prevent escape ofa coin. The overlapping forward margin of the slide is curved on aradius exceeding that of the coin. The positioning of coins resting inthe compartment is indicated in dotted lines at 120'. When the coins areresting on the slide, they are thereby main tained in a positionslightly elevated above the base, and are fiat and parallel thereto. Atsuch time rearward movement of the bottom coin is still blocked by therear wall of easing section 28, the coin being thick enough to projectupwardly a slight distance above the lower edge of the back wall. Theslide is thinner than the coin, and when the slide is retracted the coin(or stack of coins) drops downwardly a distance equal to the thicknessof the nowretracted slide, which distance is sufficient so that thebottom coin (only) no longer overlaps the back wall. As shown in FIGURE17 the bottom coin thereby reaches a position wherein it is free toslide rearward y beneath the rear wall and into the enlargement 131-435and fall into the discharge trough. When after being retracted to aposition clear of the coin, the slide is permitted to move back towardthe overlapping position, it pushes the bottom coin into the dischargetrough 130, whence it rolls down the trough and into the cup 199 whereit is accessible for removal when desired.

Each of the finger pieces 29 has its top finger portion carried by anintegral arm extending angularly downwardly and rearwardly into the baseand pivoted in the base at its lower extremity concentrically withrespect to the curved portion 21 over which the finger piece moves inthe manner previously described. On the rear upper portion of eachfinger piece an integral downwardly projecting lug 141 is formed, whichprojects into a hole 142 sized to receive it in the forwardly extendingstem portion of the generally Y-shaped slide. The slides are formed of aresilient material, such as flexible low density polyethylene. The frontwall of each of the compartment portions of casing section 30 is spacedabove the subjacent portion of the base a distance just slightlyexceeding the thickness of the slide, and the stem portion of the slidesextend forwardly through the slot-like openings thus provided and underthe rear portions of the finger pieces where each is interengaged withlug portion 141 of 'its finger piece. The portion of the slide withinthe compartment is thus held flat and parallel to the top wall of thebase, while as the finger piece and leg 140 move arcuately forwardly anddownwardly to retract the slide, the increasingly projecting forwardportion of the stem of the slide curves downwardly correspondingly. Thefinger piece and slide are biased toward the coin retaining position bya hairpin spring 144.

The pivotal mounting of each of the finger pieces and associated partsin the base is relited to the method of assembly of the device. A pairof sector-shaped webs as 1 .5, 146 are provided for each finger piece.The webs, which are integral with the base, are flat and supported onlyat their upper and forward edges, and lie in planes generally fore andaft of the base. The two Webs of each pair are gradually inclined towardone another as they ex end downwardly and rearwardly toward the pivotaxis of their finger piece, their lower extremities being provided withaligned rounded kerfs which open downwardly and rearwardly, to rockablyreceive coaxial trunnion bosses 151, 152 extending from opposite sidesof the arm 14%) to retain and pivotally support the arm and fingerpiece.

The space between the webs 145, 146 of each pair at the curved bearingsurface 21 of the base is open, forming a wide arcuate slot in which arm140 travels and which is overlaid and concealed by the wider top portionof the finger piece. Additional guidance for the finger pieces isfurnished by integral rib portions 155, 156, 157 and 158 of the base,which rib portions project outwardly a short distance between thebearing surfaces 21. A transverse flange 160 bridges the webs 145, 146of each pair near the front of the base to provide an abutment for thehairpin spring 144, which is biased to increasing angularity of itslegs, thereby urging the finger pieces upwardly and rearwardly,clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 4.

A series of aligned and coplanar substantially vertical slots as 161 areformed in all of the webs 145, 146 and a similar slot 162 in the leftwall portion 101 of the coin pocket 106. Slots 161 form a slideway for alock bolt member 165 formed of a strip of sheet metal and which isslidable transversely through the slots 161 in all of the webs 145, 146in a path directly in front of lugs 141. Bolt 165 is provided with aplurality of cutout areas 166 spaced conformably to the spacing of thelugs 141 and large enough to pass the lugs therethrough, all of whichopenings are alignable and disalignable with respect to all of the lugssimultaneolsly, by sliding movement of the bolt. A lock plug 170rotatably mounted in the rib portion 158 and actuatable as by means of aremovable key 171, has a roll-back portion 172 which projects into anopening 174 in the bolt 165 to actuate the same. The positioning of theopenings 166 and the opening 174, and the length of the bolt 165 aresuch that the permitted travel of the bolt is just sufficient to permitthe openings 166 to move to proper aligned and disaligned positions,thus when the bolt is installed the walls 17 and 101 of the base limitthe travel of the bolt. After installation its end nearest slot 162 isslightly bent so that its movement toward the wall 181 is limited bysuch wall after installation and the bolt is in effect trapped betweenand its movement is limited by the walls 17 and 101.

When the bolt is in the locking position in which it blocks the lugs 141the coin releasing finger pieces 20 are not actuatable and the bank isthereby locked against removal of its contents. When unlocked, thedevice may be employed as a dispensing divice for coins of desireddenominations, or used as a bagatelle game with repeated release andreuse of the same coins. The transparent front upper casing portionprovides an intriguing view of the operation of the device, and alsoenables the contents of the coin compartments to be seen and evaluated(as with the aid of embossed indicia 179).

As previously indicated, the upper portions of the casin g and troughstructures are quickly assemblable to each other and to the base withoutthe need for adhesives, sealing, or special fasteners, the combinedtrough and partition member 55 being quickly snapped into position inthe front section 30, and the two sections 28, 30 then quicklyattachable to each other and the base in the manner previouslydescribed. Prior to such assembly of the upper casing sections 28, 30and base 15, however, the components attached to and within the base arefirst installed. The bolt 165 is projected through the slot 162 into itsslidably mounted position in slots 161, the lock plug inserted, androllback 172 engaged in the opening 174 in the bolt. The ram is insertedin the chute, the flip lever 96 projected therethrough in operativeinterengagement with the T-slot in the ram, the pivot portions 104engaged in kerfs 105, and the spring 95 is installed through the openrear face 113 of spring pocket 110.

All of the ejector slides 125-129 are cast in a set, and they are moldedin a spacing and positioning corresponding to that in which they will beused in the bank. For purposes of assembly, they are left attached totheir sprue portions as 189, 181, as shown in FIGURE 15. Using the sprueportions as a handle, the slides 125-129 are laid in position on top ofthe base with their stems projecting outwardly to overlie and bridge thebearing areas 21 between the ribs 155-158, etc. The holes 142 for thelugs 141 are thereby positioned in proper overlying relation to theslot-like openings between the webs 145, 146. The top casing sections23, 30 are then installed on the base in the manner previouslydescribed, and when assembled the slides are held against escape, sincetheir wider portions lie inside the coin compartments. The sprueattachments are then cut and sprue portions discarded. Unwantedsubsequent inward movement of the slides beyond the desired position,prior to installation of the finger pieces 20, and which might interferewith easy assembly of the finger pieces, is prevented by small lugportions 143 integrally cast upon and projecting downwardly from thebottoms of the ejector slides in position to abut the inner end of theslot-like space between the webs 145, 146 and limit inward travel of theslides. The springs 144 are preinstalled upon the arms of the fingerpieces 20. Each spring has a laterally turned end portion 144 on oneleg, which is projected through a hole in the arm 140, the same leg ofthe spring being passed between lugs 184 projecting from the side of armportion 140 to locate the spring. The bight of the spring is loopedaround one of the trunnion pivot lug portions 150, and the arm 14-0 withthe spring preinstalled thereupon in the manner described is pusheddownwardly from above into the space between the webs 145, 146, the lug141 being at the same time pushed into the hole 142.- in the ejectorslide. The bearing lug portions 151, 152 force the webs 145, 146 apartwith a camming action as the arm 145i moves downwardly, but withoutbending the webs beyond their elastic limit, so that when moveddownwardly into proper position, the webs spring back over the bearingportions 151, 152, thereby retaining them to complete the pivotalmounting of the finger piece. At the same time the lowerforward leg ofthe hairpin spring 144 comes to rest against the top of flange 160,biasing the key to the raised position.

It will thus be seen that the preassembled keys and springs may simplybe pushed into position, either individually or by means of a fixtureallowing installation of all at the same time, and these parts thus alsobecome locked in position with no separate fastening, the resiliency ofthe webs 145, 146 being suificient to elfectively hold the finger piecesagainst removal while the concentrically curved bottom portions of thefinger portions prevent downward displacement. Similarly, the flip lever6 requires no special fastening, since its bearing lugs 104 areconstantly biased upwardly into the trunnion bearing kerfs 105 by thespring 95, due to the rocking couple resulting from the spacing betweenthe top of slot 98 and the spring, when the device is idle, or betweenthe spring and the finger of the user, when the device is in use.

The foregoing portions of this disclosure and the appended drawings arefurnished in compliance with the requirement of the law to set forth thebest mode contemplated by the inventors of carrying out their invention,and changes may be made in the preferred embodiment disclosed withoutdeparting from the fair and proper scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A toy bank comprising a casing including upright portions definingupright coin compartments individually proportioned so that eachcompartment will hold a stack of coins of a different predetermineddiameter, and means for introducing coins of such differentpredetermined diameters into their respective compartments from a commonposition comprising an upright combined coin receiving and riser chuteadjacent said compartments, a coin flipper in the bottom of the chute,means for actuating the flipper to impel coins upwardly in the chute,coin sorting means including an inclined rampway extending transverselybehind an intermediate portion of said chute and unintcrruptedly acrossthe upper portions of all of said compartments, means for guidingflipped coins from the upper end of said chute into the rampway behindthe chute in position to roll down the rampway to and across the upperends of said compartments, and means appur- 9 tenant to the rampwayadjacent each compartment for deflecting into the compartment coins ofthe size predetermined for such compartment.

2. Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a basesupporting said upright portions and defining the bottoms of saidcompartments and chute, a p1urality of individual coin release meanscarried by the base, one of such release means being appurtenant to thebottom of each compartment, a released coin runway in said base forreceiving coins from said release means, a discharged coin cup in thebase and into which said runway leads, said actuating means for theflipper including a finger piece on the base, and individual fingerpieces on the base for the coin release means.

3. Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a basesupporting said upright portions and defining the bottoms of saidcompartments and chute, a plurality of individual coin release meanscarried by the base, one of such release means being appurtenant to thebottom of each compartment, a released coin runway in said base forreceiving coins from said release means, a discharged coin cup in thebase and into which said runway leads, said actuating means for theflipper including a finger piece on the base, individual finger pieceson the base for the coin release means, the said base projectingforwardly from said compartments and chute, and said chute, flipper andreleased coin cup being located at one end of the assembly, said fingerpieces being arranged in a row extending forwardly with respect to thebase, the finger piece for the flipper overhanging the coin cup.

4. A toy bank or the like as defined in claim 1 wherein saidcompartments are arranged in a series of progressively smallercross-sectional area and the rampway inclines downwardly from a higherportion behind said chute to one side of the compartment of largest areato a lower portion at the compartment of smallest area and the means fordeflecting the coins comprises a series of cam portions spaced above butat decreasing vertical distances from the rampway, considered in adirection toward the lower end of the rampway, one cam portion beingappurtenant to each compartment, the effective vertical distance of eachcam portion from the rampway being less than the diameter of coinsintended for the appurtenant compartment but exceeding the diameters ofcoins intended for smaller compartments.

5. In a toy bank or the like as defined in claim 4, blocking wallportions extending transversely to the rampway within each compartmentin a position along and close to the rampway and downhill thereof withrespect to the appurtenant cam portion and engageable by coins deflectedby such cam portion to positively block deflected coins from furtherrolling down the ramp.

6. A toy bank as defined in claim 5 wherein said compartments and chuteare defined by a front casing portion with partition walls segregatingthe compartments and having portions defining said blocking wallportions, and a rear wall portion common to all of said compartments andextending behind said chute, said compartments being arranged in a rowsubstantially parallel to the rear wall, and the rampway extending alongthe rear Wall between the latter and the partition walls.

7. A toy bank or the like as defined in claim 4 wherein the casingincludes a front section having a front wall and upright side andpartition walls segregating said compartments from one another and fromsaid chute, a rear casing section having rear wall portions extendingbehind and closing said compartments and forming the rear wall of thechute in the area below the rampway, the rear section being spaced fromsaid chute in the area above said rarnpway, a partition portion definingthe rear wall of said chute in the area above said rampway and coactingwith the rear section to define a drop chute behind the first mentionedchute and through which coins are directed to the rampway by said meansfor guiding flipped coins, the rampway comprising a trough-like guidewall extending through the compartments, the portion of said guide wallin the area of and on the side toward each compartment being of a heightless than the radius of coins intended for such compartment, each camportion projecting forwardiy into its appurtenant compartment far enoughto tip a rolling coin forwardly far enough to overlap, strike and bearrested by one of said upright walls and to tip forwardly over saidguide wall into the compartment.

8. A toy bank as defined in claim 1 wherein said casing includes a basesupporting said upright portions, said upright portions comprising amolded rear panel having areas defining rear portions of saidcompartments and of said chute and rampway, a molded front panelcoacting with the rear panel to define front portions of saidcompartments and chute, partitioning and rampway means inerposed betweensaid panels and dividing an upper portion of said chute into a frontriser section and a rear dropping section lying to one side of saidcompartments at the higher end of said rarnpway, the bottom of thedropping section being defined by the rampway, said means for guidingflipped coins into the rampway comprising means for deflecting coinsfromgthe upper end of the riser section laterally and angularlyrearwardly over the compartments between the panels and retrovertly intothe dropping chute section.

9. A toy bank as defined in claim 8 wherein said firstmentioned meansfor deflecting coins comprises fixed camming parts molded on said rearpanel.

10. A toy bank as defined in claim 8 wherein said firstmentioned meansfor deflecting coins comprises fixed camming parts molded on said rearpanel, and said secondmentioned means for deflecting coins is molded onsaid front panel.

11. In combination with means as defined in claim 3, a key-operablelocking bar in the base movable into and out of simultaneous blockingengagement with respect to all of said individual finger pieces for thecoin release means independently of the finger piece for the flipper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 553,078 1/1896 Smith et al.3,227,363. 1/1966 I-Iecker et a1. 1333 X 3,313,477 4/1967 Brown 133-3 XSTANLEY H. TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner.

